Month: May 2014

Two employees of the Home Office have been awarded compensation for RSI injuries to their shoulders and arms due to repetitive movements while performing their jobs, with reports of more employees coming forward to make similar claims.

Two employees of the Home Office have each been awarded up to £20,000 in compensation for RSI shoulder injuries that they developed over a period of time. As a part of their job, they had to lean out of a kiosk window to check the passports of visitors to the UK at the ferry port of Calais. This repeated action caused the RSI injuries to their arms.

Pamela Smith (58) of Dover, Kent, was one of the employees who mad the claim. After experiencing discomfort to her arm, she sought medical attention. She was diagnosed with a torn boxes and repetitive strain shoulder injury, for which she had to undergo surgery. While she was recovering, she was unable to return to work.

When she was eventually able to take her job up again, Pamela was informed that her job was being ended. Pamela sought legal counsel from her union and after speaking with her representative, she made a compensation claim for RSI shoulder injuries. Pamela’s claim was successful. Due to her continued pain in her arm, Pamela fears that she may now be unable to find a replacement job as she finds it difficult to work.

Due to severe staffing cuts, the number of immigration officers employed at Calais and other similar French ports has reduced. The remaining employees must now work longer shifts while performing these repetitive tasks. As a result, more people are suffering from repetitive strain injuries to their shoulder and arms, much like Pamela did.

The General Secretary of the Immigration Services Union (ISU) who represented Pamela and the unnamed officer-Lucy Moreton-stated: “The plight of officers working long hours in appalling conditions has been brought to management attention over and over again. The ISU hopes managers will now address these issues rather than sweep them under the carpet.”

It is understood that twelve more immigration officers based in French ports are also in the process of making claims for compensation for RSI shoulder injuries.